A look back: Elkhorn stopped former No. 1 Omaha Skutt inches from the end zone on the final play of the game to claim a 24-21 road win in a game that might foretell what kind of excitement and suspense is ahead in the playoffs. Waverly vaults to the top spot on the heels of an impressive 24-0 win over Norris, the Vikings’ fifth straight victory and second shutout of a top 10 opponent in October (Plattsmouth 36-0 on Oct. 9).
A look ahead: The top eight teams can all make the case that they’re legitimate state championship contenders based on their best win of the season. Scottsbluff at No. 8 Aurora (rematch from Aurora’s 36-14 win in Week 3) and No. 10 McCook at No. 9 Plattsmouth look to be the most intriguing first-round matchups. Another regular-season rematch is Beatrice at Norris (Norris 35-7).
Contenders: Gothenburg, Cozad, Logan View/SS, Chadron, Mitchell, West Point-Beemer.
A look back: Logan View/Scribner-Snyder exits after a 3-0 loss to Fort Calhoun, which allows Battle Creek to enter. Logan View/SS edged Raymond Central by .0139 of a point in the wild-card standings for the final playoff spot. Because of COVID-19 issues at Louisville, Raymond Central (5-3) had its final regular-season game canceled. Had the Mustangs played the Louisville game and won, it would’ve pushed them past Logan View/SS, No. 14 seed Cozad and No. 15 seed West Point-Beemer in wild-card points.
A look ahead: The two best games on Friday night are battles between rated teams — No. 9 Wayne at No. 6 Adams Central and No. 10 Battle Creek at No. 5 Auburn. A rematch of last year’s state championship game — defending titlist Wahoo and current No. 1 Pierce — is a potential quarterfinal this season.
Class C-2
School (Record) | Pvs. | This week
1. Archbishop Bergan (9-0) | 1 | L. Lutheran
2. Oakland-Craig (8-1) |2 | Crofton
3. Ord (8-0) | 3 | Bishop Neumann
4. Aquinas (7-2) | 4 | at Norfolk Catholic
5. Yutan (7-1) | 5 | Centura
6. Wilber-Clatonia (6-1) | 6 | GICC
7. Sutton (6-2) | 7 | NP St. Pat’s
8. Norfolk Catholic (6-2) | 9 | Aquinas
9. Hartington CC (7-2) | 8 | at Bridgeport
10. Crofton (5-4) | - | at Oakland-Craig
Contenders: Bishop Neumann, Bridgeport, Grand Island CC, Centura, North Platte St. Pat’s, Lincoln Lutheran.
A look back: Norfolk Catholic switches spots with Hartington Cedar Catholic after beating the Trojans 14-10 on Friday. Centura’s win over Grand Island Central Catholic sends the Crusaders out of the top 10 and brings Crofton in. The Warriors’ four losses are to No. 2 Oakland-Craig, No. 4 Aquinas, No. 8 Norfolk Catholic and No. 9 Hartington CC.
A look ahead: It doesn’t get any better than a Norfolk Catholic-Aquinas matchup in the first round, a showdown of blueblood programs with 18 football state championships between the two (Norfolk Catholic with 10, Aquinas eight).
Class D-6
School (Record) | Pvs. | This week
1. McCool Junction (8-0) | 1 | Parkview Christian
2. Potter-Dix (8-0) | 2 | Wallace
3. Sterling (7-0) | 3 | Southwest
4. Red Cloud (7-0) | 4 | Dorchester
5. Arthur County (6-2) | 7 | Pawnee City
6. Spalding Academy (7-1) | 8 | at Creek Valley
7. Paxton (6-2) | - | S-E-M
8. S-E-M (5-2) | 5 | at Paxton
9. Creek Valley (6-2) | 6 | Spalding Academy
10. Dorchester (6-2) | 10 | at Red Cloud
Contenders: Stuart, Cody-Kilgore, Parkview Christian, Wallace, Pawnee City, Southwest.
A look back: Paxton’s victory over Sumner-Eddyville-Miller, Potter-Dix’s 53-point victory over Creek Valley and Spalding Academy’s 42-0 triumph over previous No. 9 Stuart explain this week’s changes.
A look ahead: Paxton and S-E-M meet again, just one week after Paxton’s 30-24 road win. Other first-round games matching up rated teams are No. 4 Red Cloud hosting No. 10 Dorchester and No. 6 Spalding Academy at No. 9 Creek Valley.
Class A, D-1, D-2 first-round playoff notes
* All of the top-10 teams in all three classes made it through to the second round, with the exception of D-1 No. 5 Wakefield which was ineligible for the playoffs after opting down from Class C-2.
* No. 7 Kearney and No. 10 Millard North, the two Class A-rated teams not to receive first-round byes, are involved in the only two second-round games pairing top 10 teams. Kearney travels to No. 9 Gretna while Millard North will be on the road to face No. 6 Creighton Prep.
* Rated teams facing each other in D-1 on Friday are No. 2 Burwell at No. 8 Howells-Dodge and No. 10 Weeping Water at No. 9 Lutheran High Northeast.
* The big second-round game in D-2 is No. 2 Osceola at No. 5 Humphrey St. Francis in a matchup of returning state champions. Osceola/High Plains won D-1 a year ago, while St. Francis was an undefeated titlist in D-2.
Photos: No. 5 Waverly blanks No. 3 Norris in regular-season finale
Norris vs. Waverly, 10.23
Norris vs. Waverly, 10.23
Norris vs. Waverly, 10.23
Norris vs. Waverly, 10.23
Norris vs. Waverly, 10.23
Norris vs. Waverly, 10.23
Norris vs. Waverly, 10.23
Norris vs. Waverly, 10.23
Norris vs. Waverly, 10.23
Norris vs. Waverly, 10.23
Norris vs. Waverly, 10.23
Norris vs. Waverly, 10.23
Norris vs. Waverly, 10.23
Norris vs. Waverly, 10.23
Norris vs. Waverly, 10.23
Photos: Southwest edges North Star to advance in Class A playoffs
Waverly's Tyztin Hoos celebrates after running in a touchdown against Norris during their Class B regular-season finale in Waverly on Friday. Waverly's 24-0 win vaults the Vikings to No. 1 in the ratings.